BANGKOK—Six Senses will open its first Australian property at Burnham Beeches, the heritage mansion and 22-hectare estate designed by architect Harry Norris in 1933 for the Nicholas “Aspro” Family. Located 40 kilometers from Melbourne in the fern glades and forested hills of the Dandenong Ranges and neighboring Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens, the mansion is one of the finest examples of domestic Art Deco in Australia. Romance Reborn Led by the brief to capture “fresh air, sunshine and an outlook of command, yet under control,” the original three-story Art Deco Streamline Moderne mansion is reminiscent of an ocean liner. Named after the...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Show is scheduled for February 1 to 3 in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center. As of early January, 538 exhibitors planned to exhibit their products and services. Many exhibitors will be on hand to help one reduce costs related to resource consumption and waste generation. Here are some examples: ChemxWorks Inc.— The D-CARBONATOR soak tank from ChemxWorks removes carbon buildup and the worst fats, oil, and grease (F.O.G.) from kitchen equipment (aluminum baking pans, hood filters, baking racks, floor mats and more) using heated water in combination with the...

NEW YORK—Blueland and Plastic Pollution Coalition announced their formal action to petition the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the use of plastic film (PVA) in consumer-packaged goods, including all laundry detergent pods and sheets by requesting health and environmental safety tests of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), and removing it from the Safer Choice List and Safer Chemical Ingredients List until the EPA can complete the requested health and environmental safety testing. They are joined in this petition by Made Safe, Beyond Plastics, Plastic Oceans International, 5 Gyres, Lonely Whale, and the Shaw Institute and hope to garner support from the public with their petition. This announcement follows first-of-its-kind research published in...

RIVIERA PACIFICA, PANAMA—The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort, a top luxury family-friendly resort in Riviera Pacifica’s beach community, has launched new sustainable initiatives to help eco-conscious travelers make the most of their trip while creating less of an impact on the environment. Home to nature trails, an animal conservation center, and a Nicklaus-designed 18-hole championship golf course, the outdoors are at the forefront of guest experience at The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort. Conscious of its operational impacts to its surroundings, The Buenaventura has launched the following sustainable initiatives: Carbon neutral flight partnerships. Partnering with Green Cloud, The Buenaventura now allows...

WOOSTER, OHIO—Wooster Products, an industry leader in anti-slip safety stair treads and walkway products, has added Webstaurantstore.com as a new distributor. For nearly 20 years the company has created and fostered an innovative and easy to use website to serve the purchasing needs of foodservice professionals, and now they are branching out to serve industrial users as well. They will offer the FlexMaster and Stairmaster brands of Wooster Products safety stair treads, as well as Flex-Tred anti-slip tapes, and Safe Stride anti slip paint. These products are ideal for new construction, renovation, and industrial safety. In addition to restaurants...

The idea for the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system was hatched almost 30 years ago in 1993. Today, there are more than 100,000 buildings participating in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) certification program. Approximately 1,000 of those buildings are lodgings located around the world. According to USGBC, “LEED certified buildings are proven to save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and create healthier places for people. They are a critical part of addressing the climate crisis, meeting ESG goals, enhancing resilience, and supporting more equitable communities.” The most recent version of LEED is LEED...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congress passed the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, sending the measure to President Biden for his signature. Congress also sent a captive wildlife protection measure—the Big Cat Public Safety Act—to the President to be signed into law as well. “Congress has taken shark fins off the menu,” said Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action, and the Center for a Humane Economy, in celebrating Senate passage Thursday night of the shark protection measure. The Senate passed the defense bill 83 to 11, following a similarly lopsided vote in the House. The Shark Fin...

SINGAPORE—In an article published earlier this week on Green Lodging News, the introduction to Greenview’s just released 83-page Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR) was summarized. In this article, Green Lodging News takes a deeper dive into the report, highlighting key results from this fourth GLTR. The GLTR is separated into 10 sections, with findings highlighted primarily in easy-to-read bullet-point format. The sections include Hotel Sustainability Basics, Management System, Community Impact, Health & Wellness, Responsible Consumption, Single-Use Plastic Elimination, Waste Management, Water Conservation, Energy Management, and Climate Action. The following are observations from each of the 10 sections, followed by highlights from...

When thinking about resorts leading in sustainability, you don’t often think about RV resorts but there are some with very green stories to tell—the Golden Village Palms RV Resort in the San Jacinta Valley in California, for example. The property has been certified as the only RV resort within the California Green Business Network. Golden Village Palms Green Practices The use of energy efficient lighting. The use of certified non-toxic laundry, cleaning and building maintenance products in non-aerosol containers to reduce pollution. The donation of previously used furniture, supplies and materials to local nonprofit organizations for waste diversion. The placement...

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL.—Beginning this month, VITO Fryfilter Inc.’s new U.S. headquarters is Orlando, Fla. With the move, VITO Fryfilter also took the opportunity to add a new position to its ranks. After four years as the director of the UAE subsidiary of VITO, Sascha Geib resumes his former position as COO for the U.S. subsidiary, VITO Fryfilter, Inc. which was since left unoccupied. Geib will run the day-to-day operation of the highest revenue subsidiary of VITO. He will focus on the brand’s development and growth in the U.S. market and continuous optimization of work procedures within the organization. He will...